Durango, Colo.— When Zachary Ray, owner of Desert Sun Coffee Roasters, first heard about Project RUN, he immediately recognized the opportunity it could bring to small businesses like his.
Having spent years in international trade and fair-trade coffee advocacy before taking over his company, Ray understands the challenges rural business owners face in developing leadership from within. “Project RUN really helped give me practical tools for being a great leader,” said Ray (Sociology and Human Services, '09). “It also helped me understand my own leadership philosophy and how to create a better workplace.”
For recent Fort Lewis College graduate Heleny Zacamolpa (Exercise Physiology and Public Health, '24), was looking for ways to sharpen her leadership and communications skills as she entered the workforce. Her supervisor at , where she volunteers as a bilingual coordinator, mentioned the program.
"As a young professional, I didn’t have years of experience to rely on," Zacamolpa said. "Project RUN helped me learn how to advocate for myself and communicate effectively in a professional setting."
A workforce training model built by, and for, industry
Created through a partnership between Fort Lewis College and the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, Project Run is a workforce development initiative designed to drive economic mobility by delivering quality micro-credential and skills-based training tailored to industry needs.
In its first year, 2023-2024, Project RUN focused on leadership development from both a people’s and strategic standpoints. They also brought together employers to discuss the region’s childcare workforce challenges and identified potential solutions and barriers.
The first year, 31 locals participated in the program, said the program’s director Rosalinda Linares-Gray.
"According to our colleagues at Region 9 Economic Development District, upskilling one person in Mancos has the same economic impact as upskilling 150 people in Denver," Linares-Gray said. "The work we're doing has a significant impact on our rural communities."
Through a partnership with GeekPack, Project RUN will introduce foundational and advanced skills in digital literacy for their second year, Linares-Gray said.
Working together as a region
Sarah Tober, executive director of the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, emphasized the importance of Project RUN in addressing workforce gaps.
“One of the biggest challenges we hear from employers—especially in rural areas—is the difficulty of developing leadership within their own teams. Project RUN is directly responding to that need by equipping employees with the skills that employers have told us they’re looking for,” she said.
Alana Romans, chief strategist at Fort Lewis College, echoed that sentiment, highlighting the collaborative approach that makes Project RUN unique. “By bringing together industry leaders, educators, and workforce development partners, we’re not just creating training programs—we’re building a regional workforce strategy that ensures both businesses and employees can thrive,” she said.
Ray, the CEO at Desert Sun Coffee Roaster, said the program is a welcome change for area businesses.
“Being in a small community, one of the biggest voids that we find here is that it's hard to hire mid and upper-level management to help your companies grow, which puts a lot of extra burden on the business owners,” he said. “Project RUN is really helping small businesses. It trains people to help their companies, which therefore helps small businesses be successful in a rural environment. This is very challenging to do when you're so far from major cities.”
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